This is topic RTA's in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Barry Hans (Member # 477) on 06-22-2000, 09:03 PM:
I am interested in what brand Real Time Analizers the techs on this forum use. I had to return my Goldline when the service company i worked for closed 
(company property). so I am in the market for a new or used one. Has anyone used an Audio Toolbox by terraSonde and if so what is/ was your impression of it
Thanks!
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 06-22-2000, 09:47 PM:
I thought that, generally speaking, an R2 unit (from Lucas/THX) was "the" standard.
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 06-22-2000, 11:16 PM:
I use a Goldline that I bought myself from Tech America (Radio Shack's Commercial division). It works fine for me. 
I would like to buy an Ivie, but boy are they expensive. 
Posted by Russ Kress (Member # 461) on 06-22-2000, 11:17 PM:
I'd love to have an R2! Then again, I like it when the theatre has enough money to write me a pay check too! *grin*We use an Audio Controls RTA.
It has a built-in pink noise generator and also takes SPL readings.
Russ
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-23-2000, 09:17 AM:
Audio Control------------------
Better Projection Pays!
Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 06-23-2000, 12:18 PM:
Audio Control. Best bang for the buck. About a 1000. If you have about 5000, go for the R2. But then you have to get a lap top. Which could be cheap, since all you need is a 386.The cheaper multiplexing rout is with the audio control and the Ultra Stereo multiplexer. I believe that it runs about 1500.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-23-2000, 05:36 PM:
The R2 is the best
the next best is either the Goldline DSP30 or the Abacuss unit
the Audio Control is a bit bouncy in its display for my liking
Also there is a good one that Smart sells call the PCRTA
If you don't buy the R2 also buy a ultrastereo mic multiplexer
Posted by Barry Hans (Member # 477) on 06-23-2000, 07:46 PM:
I am suprised that no one has mentioned the Ivie RTA. I know that it is a bit costly but have never heard a bad thing about it. Where can I get info on the Abacus? My understanding is it is no longer made. The Goldline seemed to work OK, though i was always hunting booth floors for screws that would fall off the thing. Also, every once in a great while I would have problems with the display doing odd things.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-23-2000, 10:01 PM:
There is only one choice if you want a standard to go by. THX R-2! Hands down. I have used 6 different analyzers over the last 18 years. They were the old Altec CRT based analyzer(actually an H-P and my first one and still one of my favs), Ivie IE-30(great,but not durable), Audio Control, Klark Teknik, and I now own an Ivie PC40 and a THX R-2. The thing about the R-2 is that it is an analyzer that is capable of accurate, repeatable results. Few others can do this. The sound difference in systems eq'd with it is astonishing. I have done everyting with it. Altecs, HPS, JBL, EV, you name it. My customers have always been impressed with the results and that speaks for itself. There are other 4 mic systems(Ultra Stereo for instance) but they do not automatically match the level of the 4 mics as the R-2 does and this is very important so the system can make accurate measurements. The R-2 is extremely versitle and reliable. The PC-40 was a purchase I made just before I bought the R-2. Its a good analyzer and does a few things the R-2 can't and I also like it for "A" chain work and dubbers cause its alot more portable and allows going through a bunch of "A" chains quickly. The band pass filters in both the PC-40 and the R-2 are exceptional.
Mark
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-24-2000, 03:18 PM:
Abbacus is very much in business in the UK they have a web site but I don't have the address handy and they even have us dealer
The DSP30 Goldline doesn't have any screws falling out of it that I have just too much plastic
Posted by Francis Casey (Member # 514) on 06-24-2000, 08:24 PM:
Hello ALL ;
This is my first post and i would just like to say that I find this site excellent , it contains a wealth of information for anyone in the movie business !
I use an Ivie PC40 and an R2 ; I find the R2 best overall . I do have a couple of complaints about the R2 ; it very often freezes up saying it has a "communications problem" with my laptop , which sometimes requires several reboots of the R2 and or Laptop for it to function . My other complaint is the long 60 second initalization time of the R2 which sometimes can seem like an eternity !
I have heard that THX has a new version of the R2 software in the works ; does anyone know anything about this , will it be Windows or still DOS ?
Thanks
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-25-2000, 02:01 PM:
Hopefully it is still dos
I run my R2 with very few com errors from a HP200LX 8088 palmtop
The R2 doesn't always like the baud rate set up in you laptop and you may have to gointo you setup and adjust it
Posted by Rory Burke (Member # 512) on 06-25-2000, 05:26 PM:
I think that the R2 is the most versatile RTA out there. It is more than capable of handling any senario for instalation, testing and Research purposes. I have found it quite usefull in doing STC studies in my auditoriums, finding room modes, and other acoustical testing including the RT-60 reverberation test which is so crucial for ensuring dialogue inteligibility. I typically run my R2 on my laptop in DOS mode only from start up. I avoid running dos under windows because i have experienced faults and communication errors in the past. The R2 software is reliable in the Dos only mode. I recently became aware that THX is now offering a calibration kit for the countryman microphones that come with the R2 kit. About time!!! I have to often calibrate them and was wondering how the THX engineers calibrate their mics.
Barry: I also use the terra sounde tool box and have compared it to my R2. Not a bad unit for $800 bucks and it does RT-60 too!!! I like the terra sounde beacause it's light weight (bout 1 lb), user friendly, accurate(subjective), illuminated screen for dark operation, cost, upgradability and adaptability(for specific uses like studio work etc)
Still for tunning an auditorium, nothing beats four mics and the accuracy of the R2 (AS LONG AS MICS ARE CALIBRATED!!!!!)
Gordon: Have you used the RT-60 decay analysis for your line of work?
Remember no matter what RTA you use..one still needs to implement proper signal strength, gain structure, and Eq techniques.
The audio control Ivie and other RTAs out there are also fine but some lack some functions which limit its uses like 4 microphone multiplexing, RT-60, time averaging and others. I have found that the R2 is very useful in doing an A-chain as well. With the slit illumination test film you can ensure that you LED is properly centered with the analog camera ans check you analog signal strength as well.
There are other RTA that are commin about which seem promising as well. www.spectraplus.com offers a free 30day trial of their software based RTA which uses your laptop's sound card for the RTA. All you need is a mic/mics, cable, and or a multiplexor. I have a sofware ocilloscope program whichalso uses my laptop's sound card. Technically i can have all my a-chain and b-chain equipment, tools and all, iu one light weight laptop case. I hope to enjoy this forum and to be capable of contributing helpful information like many others out there as well.
Rory Burke
"nothing like a 7k bulb with a three bladed shutter"
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-25-2000, 06:44 PM:
I use every bell and whistle that the R2 has and have order the calibration kit
It is far happyioer if you install something like bootmanager or partition magic athat allows a real version of dos at boot up rather than the restar msdos mode that windows whatever allows
Since I dislike carrying 2 laptops with (SDDS ) i often use the HP palm top
Posted by Rory Burke (Member # 512) on 06-26-2000, 01:05 AM:
Must be the HP 200LX?
I like it alot myself as well.
Posted by Andrew Poulain (Member # 457) on 07-10-2000, 07:16 PM:
I know this reply is late, however this topic seems like a good one for me to make my grand Film-Tech entrance.As to the topic of R2 microphone calibrations: We field technicians at THX calibrate our kits monthly. The calibration is for the frequency response of each microphone as well as sound pressure level. Each "Countryman" microphone is compared to a 1/4" B&K test mic. The difference between the two microphones is used to create the adjustment files that correct the frequency response of the "Countryman" mic to match that of the B&K mic. The field calibration kit will tell you if the SPL is off, however will not tell you if the frequency response for your microphones are out.
If any of you technicans travel as much as we do, you know what baggage handelers can do to your luggage. Some baggage handeler, working for six dollars an hour, sees that black "Pelican" case on the cart and suddenly he is an Olimpic athlete. Your case with your R2 inside is now going to get tossed onto the conveyer belt, going up to the plane, like there is an audiance of millions on TV. Really the only person watching is you, peering out from the little window on the plane. Here goes the toss and... thump! 10 feet!! Suddenly the guy in the window starts crying.
On a serious note the field calibration kit is a good tool to carry with the R2. (The kit fits the "Countryman" microphone and can be used on the USL MMP-10.) We recommend that you send in your R2 for yearly calibration to verify the frequency response of each microphone.
The new R2 software is almost completed and should be available by the end of the summer. The new software is still a DOS based program. The changes in software include:
A test for the frequency response of the back wall channel in an auditorium installed with Surround EX.
A test to determine how acoustically transparent your masking is. (If the masking covers the left and right screen channel speakers)
A data entry page for projected image size and quality, varified by using SMPTE RP-40 1995 test film.
Francis- If you are having communication problems with your R2 you should varify the communication settings for your com port. We recommend
9600 BPS
8 data bits
no polarity
1 stop bit
Flow control = Xon/Xoff
As recommended above, try running in DOS from the boot up stage on your computer rather than running in DOS-propmt. I hope this helps you.
Regards-
------------------
Andrew M. Poulain
Field Service Technician
THX Division
Lucasfilm Ltd.
apoulain@thx.com
415-492-3955
Cel: 415-302-0825
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 07-10-2000, 07:30 PM:
Not to be cranky, but did THX ever put anything into the "help" softkeys? Seems that whenever you press help, it either locks up or says "No File Found" or something like that....
Posted by Rick Long (Member # 213) on 07-10-2000, 08:28 PM:
Boy, it must be nice to work for rich American service companies. I'll have to catch my boss with a chicken before I'll ever see an R2. I still use a Goldline. I like the memory feature that lets me see how badly I've screwed up the equalization from what I started with.
Mind you, in its shipping case, the Goldline can be a public Hazard to passers-by in high winds.
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-11-2000, 12:01 AM:
What's "equalization" mean?------------------
Better Projection Pays!